Bread slicing machine



Nov. 1 1938. H. J. CRINER BREAD SLICING MACHINE 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1 'INVENTOR.

ORNE

Nov. 1, 1938. H. J. CRINER BREAD SLICING MACHINE 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1 Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATE-S.

2.134.684 I BREAD sucmc MACHINE Harry J. Criner, Davenport, Iowa, assignor. of one-half to A. G. Bush, Davenport, Iowa Application March 1, 1937, Serial No. 128,390

12 Claims.

My invention relates to improyements in brea slicing machines.

The objects of my invention are, in a multiplebladed bread slicing machine having guides to si- 5 multaneously guide the blades and to supportand guide the bread while being sliced, to provide means for readily retracting the guides so as to clear the blades; to provide means for adjusting the guides vertically both relative to the frame 10 and to each other; to provide pivotal means for mounting the guide assemblies by which the entire assembly can be swung away from the blades; to provide means for simultaneously adjusting the lower guide assembly and the adjacent ends of the i'eed and discharge bread chutes and in a machine having crossed blades to provide means for centering the loaves of bread approximately at the crossing point of the blades; and-to provide means for guiding-the blades as they approach the pul- 20 leys which drive them to equalize the inclination of the blades on opposite sides of the pulleys of a band blade machine.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-'-

\, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation, butwith the feed and discharge bread chutes omitted;

Figure .3 is an enlarged detail of the apparatus as shown from the front or left of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of one of the guide members-with guide finger attached;

Figure 5 is .an enlarged detail showing a side view of one of the guide members;

,Figure 6 is a side elevation of an alternate form of my machine showing the guide supporting arms pivotally mounted upon the frame; v

Figure '7 is a rear elevation of the form of ma-' chine shown in Figure 6, but with the bread chutes omitted;

Figure 8 is a detail looking upwardly on the line 8-4! of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a sectional detail looking upwardly on the line 9-9 of Figure 7;

-"Figure 10 is an enlarged detail showing the application of a guide roller to the heel of a bandblade;

Figure l1.is a sectional detail showing one of the hex adjusting nuts on the guide assembly bar;

Figure 12 is an enlarged. detail showing an alternate method of pivotally mounting a guide assembly upon the frame.

Similar numerals refer to similar throughout the several views.

My frame consists of a base 2 with extended parts feet 3 projecting therefrom far enough to form a firm support for the machine.

Cast integral with or suitably united to the base, is a column I, preferably T-shaped in section, with the web If extending outwardly from the flange. 5 A boss 4 is formed integral with the lower end of the frame I and an upper boss 5 is formed integral with the upper end of the frame.

Revolvably mounted in the boss 4 is a shaft II, on the outer end of which a pulley 5| is mounted, 10 which may be driven by a belt 52 passing over the drive wheel 53 mounted upon the shaft 55 of the motor 54 which may be secured to the base 2, in any desired manner.

In the upper boss 5 a corresponding shaft 12 15 is mounted. Upon the shafts II and I2 I mount cylindricalpulleys I0 and 9, respectively, which carry a plurality of endless band-blades 28, the bandsbeing driven by the pulley l0, and in turn driving the pulley 9. These bands are preferably. mounted upon the pulleys in Figure 8 form as shown in Figures 1 and 6, but it is obvious that my invention can be applied to band-blade machines utilizing uncrossed cuttingbands and may also be applied to reciprocating blade machines ofeither the crossed or uncro'ssed type. 1

In band-blade machines of the crossed blade type, there is a tendency for the blades to travel in a direct line from the guides to whichever pulley they happen to be approaching, so that the inclination of the blade to accommodate the separation of opposite portions of the blade'in the cutting sector takes place as a blade leaves a pulley and travels to the first guide. In order to equalize this inclination on both sides of the pulley, I form bosses 5i and SI integralwith the frame I, and revolvably mounted in those bosses shafts 52 and 52', respectively.

Upon the shaft 52. I mount collars 6|, and adjacent to the collars 54, I mount ballbearing rolls 40 63, which bear against the heel of the blades and deflect them from the vertical sufilciently to carry them over a distance equal to one-half of the distance between the ascending and descending segments of the blade at the point of crossing. Similar collars 64 with ballbearing rolls 63' are mounted upon the shaft 62' and the collars 54 and 64' may be secured to-the shafts by pins or other suitable means as desired. 1

In the simplest form of my invention, lugs 80 and 80' are formed integral with the web of the column, and are bored out to permit the insertion of the rod I8, which may be readily secured therein by set screws 8| and 8 l Upon the middle portion of the rod 18 between the lugs Oil :and 80' I mount revolvable upon the rod II the head II.

The rod ll is'threaded as shown at II and II- and hexagonal nuts 82 and 82' are mountedupon the rod II to coact with the threads I. and II and by the use of these nuts, the head It may be'adju'sted vertically upon the rod ll within preupon the bar 38 and separated by springs 56 as shown-in my copending application.

The outer end of the arm 30 is threaded and carries a hexagonal nut 35 threaded thereon and by tightening the nut 35 the pressure upon the springs it may be increased soas. to compress all of the springs 56 and shorten the distance between the adjacent guides 25', thereby narrowing the spacing of the blades 28 and causing them to cut thinner slices of bread than they would otherwise do.

To adjust the machine cut thicker slices of bread, the hex nut 35 is turned outwardly upon the shaft "and the spring acting upon the guides 25' spread them apart, thus spreading the fingers 28 and expanding the gauge of the cutting blade 28 so that they will cut thicker slices.

It will be observed that this agreement is of great simplicity and will permit adjustment of the blades in either direction while the machine is in full motion, as well as when it is idle.

In Figures '4, 5 and 12, I have shown the guides and flngersJn the form preferred for the lower guide assembly in which the fingers I. support the bread while being sliced. In this form, the upper guide assembly may be similar to and mounted similarly to the lower one, but the fin- Figure 7, by brackets 1i. and by a set screw 12'. With ers will be mounted in the lower portions of the guides so as to form a continuous line with the bottom of the guides. When necmary to change the gauge upon machines which are provided with the guide rolls 63 and II, the shafts C2 and 82' may be withdrawn from the bosses I and I and replaced by other shafts having similar guide rolls spaced :o conform to the changed spacing of the guides In order to permit the vertical movement of the guide assemblies, I pivot the feed chute 4| upon its support ll by a pivot 13 and the lower end of the bread chute rests upon the upper portion of the guide assemblies as shown in Figure 1, which shows a bracket 29' one end of which is pivotally mounted upon the shaft 38 and the opposite end of which may be bolted to'the feed chute ll.

In the form shown in Figure 6, the lower end of the bread chute may merely rest upon the guide assembly without being pivoted thereto.

When desired to utilize ahxed spacing for the cutting blades, a spacing bar I3 may be pivotally mounted upon a swinging arm as shown in secured in place this form ofv eonstructionithe guide plate ll may be swung away from the cuttingblades upon the pivoted portion "of the bar I. or as an alternative movement,

the plate It maybe retracted from the cutting bladesby swinging it to the left as shown in Figure 6, upon the bar as a pivot.

The form of construction just described, is shown in Figures 6, 'l and 9, and in this form of construction, referring to the lower guide assembly, a face plate 81' is secured by a set screw 66' to an extension I formed integral with the frame I.

A head II is cast integral with the face plate 61' and contains a bore in which one end of the bar II is slidingly mounted and in which it may be readily secured by a set screw I. A screw II is threadedly mounted in the lower end of the bore in the head It with a handle I! by which it may be turned when desired. to adjust the position vertically of the arm II, the set screw I being loosened when so doing and tightened after the arm II has been adjusted to the desired position vertically.

By loosening the set screw 6'' the face plate 01' may berevolved so as to carry the arm Ill forwardly from the cutting blades, but still keep it parallel thereto and this will afford a forward and back adjustment for, the guide assembly plate II.

A similar guide assembly in inverted forni, comprising a face plate 01, head 16 and arm I0 may be similarly secured to an extension 85 formed upon the web of the frame i and the face plate 61 may be secured to the extension 65 by a set screw II or other suitable means.

One end of the bar llbeing bent at right angles to the main portion thereof, may be slidingly mounted in the head I6 and kept in its adjusted position by a set screw 68.

The upper guide assembly may be swung away from the blades and at right angles thereto upon the vetrical portion ll thereof as a pivot or the guide plate ll being pivoted to the bar III by traction of the guide assemblies, as well as a slidingvertical adjustment thereof. In this form of construction, a head plate I! having vertical slots at and II formed therein, is slidingly mounted upon the frame upon set screws or stud bolts II and II. A lug 32 formed integral with the frame, is located just below the head plate II and contains a bore in which is threaded a bolt II having' a handle II by which it can be turned. I 1

A lug II is formed upon the lower end of the head plate It and the upper end of the bolt 3| bears against this lug 30 so as to adjust the position vertically of the head plate I A hub II is formed integral with the head plate I! and has rigidly mounted therein a shaft 38a, which mayvbesecured by a pressflt or other suitable means. Upon the shaft "a I mount the guide members 28a and springs 56 as heretofore carried by the support 49 the lower end of which 6 of the frame.

is pivoted to one of the feet 3. 1

A take-ofi chute 46 is secured to the bracket 41. The lower end of the feed chute 4| is secured by the bracket 29' just above the guide members 25 so that the bread can pass from the feed chute 4| directly upon andover the guides 25' and the fingers 26.

The entire lower guide assembly may be raised or lowered-by the bolt 8| and when the lower guide assembly is raised, the lower end of the feed chute 4| will be raised with it and the upper end of the take-off chute 46 will also be raised correspondingly by the arm 58a.

A horizontal slot 31 is formed in the head plate 58 and when desired, the fingers 26' may be retracted from the cutting blades by sliding the upper end of the head plate 58 forward upon the set screw 58' using the set screw 59 as a pivot. In, Figure 1, the fingers 26 and 26 are shown somewhat exaggerated in length and are preferably formed to extend-just past the line of travel of the blades.

The permissible vertical travel of the head plate 58 will permit the lower guide assembly to be raised to the necessary distance so that the bread passing over same will be centered at the crossing point of the cutting blades.

An upper guide assembly in somewhat similar form is secured upon the frame as follows:

An extension 6 is formed to the fiange of theframe I. "A head plate 14 havingaslot 39 formed therein, is slidingly mounted upon the pins or set screws 48 which are secured in the extension This head plate l4 has a boss l4f formed integral therewith in which a lower crossbar I1 is rigidly mounted. The crossbar I1 is formed with bores near the opposite ends thereof in which are slidingly mounted guide bars l8 and I!) which travel freely vertically in the bore. A similar upper crossbar I 6 is rigidly mounted in a boss I formedv integral with the head plate l4 near the top thereof and has similar bores on the opposite ends thereof through which the upper ends of the guide bars l8 and I9 are free to travel vertically, but secured against lateral movement.

A lug 20 is formed integral with the crossbar l6 having a threaded bolt 2| secured therein, with The portion of the shaft 24 near the guide bar I8 is threaded and carries a hex nut 21 threaded justed by the nut 22 ,so asto permit the upper guide assembly to contact lightly with the loaves of bread as they are fed to the cutting blades, the upper guide assembly being free to float lightlyupon the spring 23 and to move vertically with the guide bars l8 and IS.

The head l4 may be moved forwardly upon the pins-4ll so as to retract the fingers 28 far enough to clear the cutting blades 28; the fingers 26, the slots 39, and the position of the pins 48 be- I ing so proportioned as to permit the head [4 being retracted sufllciently to entirely clear the cutting blades. The bolt 2| is made of suflicient length so as to afford the necessary adjustment to cause the upper guide assembly to bear lightly against the upper surface of the loaves of bread when they are properly centered at the point of crossing of the blades 28.

In the operation of my machine, the cutting bands are driven by the motor in the usual way. The guide assemblies for the cutting bands are adjusted to theproper level by the appliances heretofore described and the motor started. As the bread travels over the lower-guide assembly, the upper guide assembly contacts lightly -there-. with by a floating contact which will readily conform to the ordinary variation in the size of the loaves.

When desired to run a batch of loaves of a different size, the guide assemblies are adjusted to the necessary vertical position to center the loaves at the crossing point of the blades, it being very important to secure proper centering of the loaves- It will be apparent from the description heretofore given that my invention performs several important functions. It afiords means for guiding the blades so as to provide an even inclination of the blades as they approach and leave the cylindricalpulleys, It affords simple means forv adjusting the height of both the upper and lower guide assemblies or guide plates so as to properly center the loaves of bread at the crossing point of the blades. 7 It provides for a'floating pressure of the upper guides to allow automatically for variations in size of the successive loaves of bread being sliced. It aifords a plurality of means for withdrawing the guide assemblies from the cutting blades quickly and facilely when it is desired to remove or to put on a blade or blades. It affords facile means for-adjusting the height of the feed and take-off chutes or bread boards and for moving or removing the feed chute when it is desired to change blades. It affords means by which either fixed or adjustable guides may be used.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the apparatus described without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not limit my claims to the precise forms of apparatus shown in the drawings.

It is also obvious that r'nyinvention may be applied to reciprocating blade machines either of the parallel or crossed blade types and I do not confine my claims to band-blade machines.

I claim:

1. In a bread slicing machine having a plurality of slicing blades and means for supporting and driving them, the combination with upper and lower guide assemblies adapted to guide and space the slicing blades, of means for separately adjusting the position of said guide assemblies longitudinally of the blades and for simultaneously adjusting the spacing of the guides laterally in each assembly respectively.

2.1a a bread slicing machine having a plurality -of slicing blades and means for supporting and driving them, the combinationwith a guide assembly adapted'to space and guide the slicing blades and to support the bread while being sliced, of means for adjusting the position of said guide assembly longitudinally of the blades and for simultaneously adjusting the lateral spacing of the guides in said assembly, and facile means for retracting the guide assemb from the blades.

3. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a supporting frame having mounted thereon a plurality of cutting blades with means for supporting and driving the blades, of a supporting arm pivotally mounted at one end only, upon the frame to swing in a plane at right angles to the blades and parallel to the cutting plane of the blades'carrying guiding means mounted uponthe supporting arm adapted to guide and space the cutting blades when in contact therewith, and'means for locking the supporting arm transversely to and parallel with a plane of the cutting blades and with the guides in contact with the blades and for releasing said arm to swingit upon its pivotso as to entirely clear the blades. I

4. ma bread slicing machine, the combination with a supporting frame having mounted thereon a plurality of cutting blades with means for supporting and driving the blades, of a pair of ad-' iustably vertically spaced supporting arms each being pivoted upon the frame at one of its ends only and carrying guiding means mounted upon the supporting arms adaptedto guide and space the cutting blades when in contact therewith, means for locking the supporting arms transversely to and parallel with the plane of the cutting blades and for releasing said armsand swinging them upon their pivots away from the plane of the cutting blades, and means for. adjusting the vertical position of said supporting arms separately.

5. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a supporting frame having mounted thereon a plurality of cutting blades with means for supporting and driving the blades, of a pivoted head adjustably mounted upon the frame and movable upon said pivot in a plane substantially at right angles to the blades, a supporting arm rigidly united at one end only to said head, and a movable guide assembly pivotally mounted upon said supporting arm adapted to contact with and guide the blades or to be retracted therefrom upon its pivot.

8. In a-bread slicing machine, the combination with a supporting frame having mounted thereon a plurality of cutting blades with means for supporting and driving the blades, of a pair of vertically spaced heads adjustably mounted upon the frame, supporting arms rigidly united at one end only to said heads respectively, andmovable guide assemblies pivotally mounted upon said supporting arms respectively adapted to con-' tact with and guide the cutting blades or to be.

and lower cylindrical pulleys revolvabiy mounted in the frame, a plurality of band-blades carried by said pulleys in figure 8 form, upper and lower guide assemblies mounted upon the-frame adjacent the pulleys. each having revolvabiy mounted thereon'a plurality of guide rolls equal in number to the slicing blades and adapted to bear against the heels of the blades and guide them respectively as they approach the pulleys, a pair of intermediate guide assemblies adjustably united by said pulleys in figure 8 form, upper and lower guide assemblies mounted upon the frame adjacent the pulleys, each having revolvabiy mounted thereon a plurality of guide rolls equal in number to the slicing blades and adapted to bear against the heels of the blades and guide them respectively as they approach the pulleys, a. pair of intermediate guide assemblies adjustably united to the frames adapted to space and guide the blades near the crossing point of the blades,

means for adjusting the height of said interme-- diate guide assemblies relative to the crossing point of the blades and relative to each other, means for retracting the intermediate guide assemblies from the blades, means to adjust the lateral spacing of the intermediate guide assemblies, and means for driving the pulleys.

9. A band-blade slicing machine comprising abase having a vertical frame united thereto, upper and lower cylindrical pulleys revolvably mounted in the frame, a plurality of band-blades carried by said pulleys in figure 8 form, upper and lower guide assemblies mounted upon the frame adjacent the pulleys, each having revolvably mounted thereon a plurality of guide rolls equal in number to the slicing blades and adapted to bear against the heels of the blades and guide them respectively as they approach the pulleys, a pair of intermediate guide assemblies adjustably united to the frames adapted to space and guide the blades near the crossing point of the blades,

means for adjusting the height of said intermediate guide assemblies relative to the crossin point of the blades and relative to each other,

means for retracting the intermediate guide assemblies from the blades,.each of said intermediate guide assemblies comprising a bar having a plurality of guide members slidingly mounted thereon, compression springs interposed between the guide members adapted to exert pressure thereon in opposite directions, each guide member being provided with a slotted finger adapted to contact and guide its corresponding slicing blade, one end of said bar being adjustably united to the frame and the opposite end of the bar having a nut threaded thereon by which the tension upon the springs can be increased or diminished.

10. A band-blade slicing machine comprising a base having a vertical frame united thereto, upper and lower cylindrical pulleys revolvabiy mounted in the frame, a plurality of band-blades carried by said pulleys in figure 8 form, a pivoted head adjustably mounted upon the frame, a supporting arm rigidly united at one end only to said head, and a movably guide assembly pivotally mounted upon said supporting arm to contact with and guide the blades during the cutt operation, said arm being retractable upon its p vot so as to entirely clear the blades.

11. A band-blade slicing machine comprising a base having a vertical frame united thereto, upper and lower cylindrical pulleys revolvabiy mounted in the frame, a plurality of band-blades carried by said pulleys in figure 8 form, a pivoted head adjustably mounted upon the frame, a supporting arm rigidly united at one end to said head, and

a movable guide assembly pivotally mounted upon pivot.

12. A band-blade slicing machine comprising a base having a vertical frame united thereto, upper and lower cylindrical pulleys revolvably mounted in the frame, a plurality of band-blades carried by said pulleys in figure 8 form, a pair of spaced heads pivoted upon the frame and adjustable vertically thereon, supporting arms rigidly united at one end to said heads respectively, and removable guide assemblies pivotally mounted upon said supporting arms respectively and adapted to contact with and guide the cutting blades or to be retracted therefrom either upon their pivotal mountings or by rotation of the 10 spaced heads upon their pivots.

HARRY J. CRINER. 

